A REPORT ON

PROJECT STAGE – II
“An Experimental Study on Translucent Concrete”
Submitted To
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad
A report submitted in partial fulfilment of requirement for the award of Degree of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
In
CIVIL ENGINEERING
By

A. NITHIN KUMAR (20C31A0102)

Under the Guidance of

Mr. T. Pranay Kumar
Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BALAJI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Accredited by NBA (UG – CE, EEE, ME, ECE & CSE) & NAAC A+ Grade.
(Affiliated to JNTU, Hyderabad and Approved by AICTE, New Delhi)
Laknepally, Narsampet, Warangal, Telangana – 506331
(2023-24)

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 BALAJI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE
Accredited by NBA (UG – CE, EEE, ME, ECE & CSE) & NAAC A+ Grade.
(Affiliated to JNTU, Hyderabad and Approved by AICTE, New Delhi)
Laknepally, Narsampet, Warangal, Telangana – 506331

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation work entitled “An Experimental Study on
Translucent Concrete” is bonafide record of the work done by A. Nithin Kumar. Refer the
award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering of Balaji Institute of
Technology and Science, Warangal. Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological
University, Hyderabad, Telangana for the academic year of 2023-2024.

Mr. T. Pranay Kumar Dr. M. Palanisamy

Assistant. Professor Professor
Project Guide Head of the Department

EXTERNAL EXAMINER

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 DECLARATION

I am, the student of Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering at Balaji Institute

of Technology & Science, Laknepally, Narsampet, Warangal, Telangana, Jawaharlal Nehru
Technological University, Hyderabad, Telangana, hereby declare that the project entitled
“An Experimental Study on Translucent Concrete” is the original work carried out by me
to the best of my knowledge and belief. I hereby declare that this project has not been
submitted to any other university or institute for the award of any other degree.

A. Nithin Kumar (20C31A0102)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The satisfaction and euphoria that accompany the successful completion of any task
would be incomplete without the mention of the people who made it possible, whose constant
guidance and encouragement crowned my efforts with success. It is a pleasant aspect that
now, I can express my gratitude for all of them.

I would like to thank Dr. A. Rajendra Prasad Reddy, Chairman, Balaji Group of
Institutions, for giving me the opportunity to do the project.

I would like to thank Dr. V. S. Hariharan, Principal, Balaji Institute of Technology

& Science, for giving me the opportunity to do the project.

I also thank Dr. M. Palanisamy, Head of Civil Engineering Department, Balaji

Institute of Technology & Science. His wide knowledge has made a deep impression on me.
His understanding, encouragement and personal guidance have provided the basis for this
report.

I am pleased to express my gratitude to my guide Mr. T. Pranay Kumar, Assistant

Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Balaji Institute of Technology & Science, for
his esteemed guidance, constant encouragement, and support during my work. His advice
and company helped me a lot in completing this project successfully.

I am thankful to all the Assistant Professors of the Civil Engineering Department,

Balaji Institute of Technology & Science. I also express my deep sense of gratitude to the
Lab Assistants and Non-Teaching Staff at our Civil Engineering Department who stood
with me during the project and helped me to make it complete successfully.

Finally, my grateful regards to my parents who have been constantly supporting and
encouraging me at the time of failure and they are always at my back. They are my constant
source of inspiration. I want to dedicate this piece of work to my parents.

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CONTENTS
CHAPTER-01

INTRODUCTION 01 - 14

1.1 History of light emitting concrete 01 - 02

1.2 General 02 - 03

1.3 Applications of transparent concrete 03 - 09

1.4 Objectives of LEC 10

1.5 Scope of project 10

1.6 Advantages of light emitting concrete 10

1.7 Case study 1 11 - 12

1.8 Case study 2 12 - 14

CHAPTER-02

LITERATURE REVIEW 15 - 19

CHAPTER-03

MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY 20 - 18

3.1 Materials 20 - 27

3.1.1 Cement 20 - 21

3.1.2 Fine Aggregate 21 - 23

3.1.3 Optical fibers 24 - 27

3.2 Manufacturing of Translucent Concrete 27 - 33

CHAPTER-04

TESTS ON FINE AGGREGATE 34 - 37

4.1 Sieve Analysis 34 - 35

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4.2 Fineness Modulus 35 - 36

4.3 Moisture Content Test 36 - 37

CHAPTER-05

TESTS ON CEMENT 38 - 46

5.1 Fineness of Cement 38 - 40

5.2 Standard Consistency Test 40 - 41

5.3 Initial and Final Setting Time of Cement Test 41 - 43

5.4 Soundness Test of Cement 43 - 45

5.5 Specific Gravity Test on Cement 45 - 46

CHAPTER-06

TESTS ON LIGHT EMITTING CONCRETE 47 – 49

6.1 Compressive strength of concrete 47 – 48

6.2 Light transmittance test 48 – 49

CHAPTER-07

CONCLUSION 50

REFERENCES 51 - 52

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LIST OF FIGURES:
Figure: 1.1 Light Emitting Concrete block 02
Figure: 1.2 Illumination of interior of buildings 04
Figure: 1.3 Exterior walls 04
Figure: 1.4 Concrete Floor 05
Figure: 1.5 Sidewalks 05
Figure: 1.6 Concrete Panel 06
Figure: 1.7 Staircase 06
Figure: 1.8 Reception Desk 07
Figure: 1.9 European Gate 07
Figure: 1.10 European Gate at nighttime 07
Figure: 1.11 Cella Septichora Visitor Centre 08
Figure: 1.12 New Headquarters of Bank of Georgia 08
Figure: 1.13 Abu Dhabi Mosque 09
Figure: 1.14 Light Transmitting Concrete 09
Figure: 1.15 The cella septichora visitor center 11
Figure: 1.16 Main entrance door of museum cella septichora 12
Figure: 1.17 During Day time 13
Figure:1.18 During Nighttime from Outside 13
Figure: 3.1 Cement 20
Figure: 3.2 Fine aggregate 22
Figure: 3.3 Optical fibers 25
Figure: 3.4 Step index single mode fiber 25
Figure: 3.5 Step index multimode fiber 26
Figure: 3.6 Graded index multimode fiber 26
Figure: 3.7 Total internal reflection 27
Figure: 3.8 Preparation of block 28
Figure: 3.9 Optical Fibers 28
Figure: 3.10 fixing of fibers 29
Figure: 3.11 Sieving of sand 29

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Figure: 3.12 Mixing of concrete 30
Figure: 3.13 Pouring of concrete 30
Figure: 3.14 Removing of mould 31
Figure: 3.15 Curing 31
Figure: 3.16 Cutting and polishing 32
Figure: 3.17 Light Emitting Concrete in Nighttime 32
Figure: 3.18 Light Emitting Concrete in daytime 33
Figure: 4.1 Sieve Specimen 34
Figure: 4.2 Sieving of fine aggregate 35
Figure: 4.3 Moisture Content Specimen 37
Figure: 5.1 Fineness Test Apparatus 39
Figure: 5.2 Vicat Apparatus 40
Figure: 5.3 Initial and Final Setting Time of Cement Test 42
Figure: 5.4 Soundness Test Apparatus (Le-Chatelier) 44
Figure: 5.5 Specific Gravity Test Apparatus 45
Figure: 6.1 Compressive strength of concrete 47
Figure: 6.2 Test results of compressive strength 48
Figure: 6.3 Test results of light transmittance 49

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LIST OF TABLES:
Table: 1.1 Project details of the cella septichora visitor centre 11
Table: 1.2 Project details of the Italian Pavilion of Shanghai Interlacement Groups 12
Table: 3.1 Size of fine aggregate 23
Table: 3.2 Specifications of materials used 33
Table: 6.1 Compressive strength of concrete 48
Table: 6.2 Light transmittance test results 49

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 ABSTRACT

Light emitting concrete is the new type of concrete introduced in modern

era which carries special property of light transmitting due to presence of optical
glass fibers and known as transparent concrete, translucent concrete, or light
transmitting concrete.

It is lighter than conventional concrete having special features such as

low density and thermal conductivity with main advantage of reduction in dead
weight, faster building rate in construction, lower handling cost. Light is
transmitted from one surface of the block wall to the other due to optical glass
fiber along the overall width of the wall which allows light to pass through. An
optical glass fibre (or optical fibre) is a flexible, transparent fibre made of glass
(silica) or plastic, slightly thicker than a human hair & can function as
waveguide, or "light pipe" to transmit light between the two ends.

The principal objective of this project is to design translucent concrete

blocks with the use of glass optical fibers, and then analyse their various
properties and characteristics. All tests further performed on our concrete
samples and on the optical fibers as such were done to ascertain the
improvements of the casted blocks over normal concrete blocks of the same size
and with the same design ratios, and to ascertain the practical utility of using
translucent concrete as a building material for green building development.

Keywords: Optical fiber, Concrete, Silica, Translucent concrete.